Amtrak Southwest Chief Discussion

read that Senate passed Amtrak house potion 94-3 as well as the OTP amendment.

If it’s the 18 bill, it will soon be a moot point.

Not if we go into continuing resolution ... Then the '18 funding carries forward ...

In a quietly released News release from Senator Udall's Office,Amtrak will continue to run the SW Chief "as is" till Sept 2019, this was from Amtrak's COO Scot Naparstek during Senate Commerce Committee Hearings last Wed.
The 2019 Fiscal year ends in Sept,for the planned split ops with a Bus Bridge between Dodge City Ks -ABQ NM has been put on hold for now.
That Bus Bridge would have started on 01/01/19.
Talks are still ongoing to work out a final plan for future funding along the route with all states towns and counties involved.

Resistance is futile?: http://www.lajuntatribunedemocrat.com/n ... provements" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

...
“Amtrak this year informed the partners that it is withholding its matching funds for the recent Tiger and CRISI grants until a comprehensive funding plan and firm financial commitments are received for an estimated $50 million in costs for track and signal improvements in New Mexico,” the report continued.

“But the state and local partners cannot meet this requirement. The partners have maintained that the highly successful federal grant process is a suitable plan. The delay is leading to scheduling problems for the trackwork anticipated in Tiger 9. It has also prevented the coalition from applying for a grant from the BUILD program (the new equivalent of TIGER) in 2018. Amtrak’s match for the Tiger 9 grant is $3 million.

“The U.S. Congress has not been happy about Amtrak’s position on the Tiger 9 grant match or the bus substitution plan. On May 31, 2018, the six U.S. senators from the three states, plus many of the relevant U.S. representatives, sent a letter to Amtrak strongly objecting to the move.

“Then, in August, the Senate passed an amendment to a House funding measure directing Amtrak to use $50 million of its current, record size appropriation for the maintenance and safety improvements it claims are needed in New Mexico. Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, Amtrak told Congress at an October Senate hearing that it plans to maintain rail service as-is through fiscal year 2019. However, the matching funds are still being withheld while the partners negotiate.”

Suzanna left the roundhouse on 12/31,new governor and new roundhouse critters sworn in 01/01/19,should have a better time getting the state(NM)
to get involved.

This is hitting a cockroach with a sledgehammer, but in the wake of the failure to move to the Southern Transcon, has there ever been consideration of sending the Southwest Chief to Wichita via Newton, then back northwest to Hutchinson via the Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad?

That seems like a "Backwater reroute" at best. Waay too much 10-25 mph trackage.

As a "Last laugh" on Anderson's SWC " bus bridge" idea,from a story dated 01/29,on trains "newswire"
The cost of the bus bridge would be double the cost of the train and a $116 million cost to the local economy in Co, Ks, and NM
Article is Paywalled,subscribers only!

Amtrak is operating a CHI to KCY coach on train 3, which turns as a KCY to CHI coach on train 4. The coach operates rearmost, so any private cars passing thru KCY in either direction must operate on the headend, behind the power and in front of the baggage car. Amtrak is unwilling to double switch the train at KCY for fear of incurring a delay and thus incurring the wrath of RA.

jhdeasy wrote:Amtrak is operating a CHI to KCY coach on train 3, which turns as a KCY to CHI coach on train 4. The coach operates rearmost, so any private cars passing thru KCY in either direction must operate on the headend, behind the power and in front of the baggage car. Amtrak is unwilling to double switch the train at KCY for fear of incurring a delay and thus incurring the wrath of RA.

Mr Deasy,

Just travelled Kansas City to Galesburg on 4/3 across Easter weekend. Rest assured, the managers are probably already getting Mr Anderson’s wrath. EB 4(17) was 2 hours behind the advertised into KC, and 2 1/2 hours behind when we stepped off in Galesburg. The ostensible reason for the delay was freight traffic on the BNSF Kingman-Winslow.

Was WB 3(22) on Monday. The good news was it was only 10 minutes late arriving Galesburg. The bad was accounting EB freight movements on the BNSF, we dropped another 45 minutes to Kansas City.

Needles as a freight crew change point is getting swamped,two new Mains are being built west of Needles,delays not as bad as Belen gets during UPS peak season,but it's very cramped at Needles now.

The last of the semaphores should be retired this summer,also Tie gangs should be on the Glorieta and Raton Subs this year,Amtrak has released the funding.

NMRX did get the needed funding for PTC(I-ETMS) iinstallation,will be using the Wi-Fi Towers for the needed radio gear.

This week the local newspaper and TV station did a piece on the Chief reroute. https://gazette.com/woodmenedition/mone ... e1749.html. The proposal up to Pueblo and Colorado Springs seems convoluted. A better alternative would be direct to Pueblo, then head south to Trinidad. Collect Colorado Springs passengers on a Front Range train and do the meet in Pueblo. The estimated 14k riders per year seems low since that is about the same as La Junta but Pueblo County has a much bigger base.

If they’re extending a section to Colorado Springs, why not Denver? (I’m aware of the needed backing move at Denver Union Station; pain in the rear, but what can you do?) If you’re already negotiating with both BNSF and UP, you may as well negotiate for another hundred miles of rights.

mtuandrew wrote: ↑Sat Nov 16, 2019 3:58 pm If they’re extending a section to Colorado Springs, why not Denver? (I’m aware of the needed backing move at Denver Union Station; pain in the rear, but what can you do?) If you’re already negotiating with both BNSF and UP, you may as well negotiate for another hundred miles of rights.

I agree with extending to Denver because it would open up KCY to DEN trips, and open up connections in Denver. The backing up into DUS is no issue because the CZ already does that.

Anthony wrote: ↑Sat Nov 16, 2019 4:04 pmI agree with extending to Denver because it would open up KCY to DEN trips, and open up connections in Denver. The backing up into DUS is no issue because the CZ already does that.

It also gives another CHI-DEN frequency, which should be an easy Western market for Amtrak to embrace. The California Zephyr is comparable in distance and time to the Capitol Limited WAS-CHI, while this train (the Colorado Chief?) would be a little longer but still fairly fast.